It’s a bit of a no brainer to say that sleep is important, after all there’s a reason we all love it so much. On average we spend about a third of our life asleep, and in this time our bodies and our minds heal and build. Sleep is good for our immune system and helps us fights off illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, whilst our brain forms pathways to help us learn, remember information, concentrate, have a regular appetite and maintain healthier body functions.
Essentially, sleep is awesome, and I think when we’re trying to do this ethical living thing it becomes more vital then ever. Ethical and eco-friendly warriors spend a lot of time trying to fight a lot of issues, often in a combination of our personal lives, political activities and our jobs, and that can take its toll physically and mentally.
This post is a call to action… for inaction. It’s time to make space for rest.
Rest is counter cultural. We live in a world that tells us we should always be doing more, hustling more and working more. While there’s nothing wrong with any of these things, we also need to rest and recharge if we want to be our healthiest, happiest selves. Often the voice in the back of our head can guilt trip us for taking a break, making us feel bad for not being productive enough. It’s time to tell that voice to shut up.
When it comes to slowing down and scheduling in that guilt-free rest time, there’s no one better to do this with than Azura Bay. While their eco-friendly, ethically-made collections also have your needs covered when it comes to beautiful lingerie and swimwear, today lets turn our eyes to their lounge & sleep collection; a place filled with comfy layers, organic loungewear and, most importantly, pyjamas.
Azura Bay began with the aim of helping everyone feel attractive and confident in their clothes, without the devastating effects of the fast fashion on people and the planet. It can be so hard to find ethical intimates that are also beautiful and high quality, but here Azura Bay has done the work for you. Their one stop shop brings together amazing brands that are ethically produced, fair trade, and as eco-friendly as possible, as well as mostly women-owned, all in one place!
Azura Bay sent me this organic cotton PJ set, produced by iconic New York brand Only Hearts, just one of Azura Bay’s suppliers who are loved by celebrities and conscious fashionistas alike. These pyjamas are ethically made in Peru with certified GOTS organic cotton, and are produced in accordance with standards set by the IMO (Institute for Marketecology), and the ETAD (Ecological and Toxical Association of Dyes and Organic Pigments Manufacturers), which you can learn more about here.
I honestly couldn’t love these pyjamas more, they are ridiculously soft. Anyone who knows me well can testify how much of a light sleeper I am (it. is. ridiculous.), and how hard I can find it to actually stop and rest, but I genuinely find that these pyjamas have been helping. When you work from home you’re often told to get up and get ready properly, as it will help you get in the right mindset for working, I find that putting these pyjamas on really does help get me in the right mindset for rest, probably because they’re so darn cosy. I also feel really body confident in them, in fact probably the most confident I’ve ever felt in pyjamas, which I think can be attributed to their quality. There’s something about wearing something that’s been handmade with love, something high quality, that just makes me feel high quality too. And I’m here for it, because it’s actually helping me sleep better. Who knew that feeling good on the inside could help you take care of your health on the outside ey? (jokes, we all knew that)
Azura Bay also works to operate in a socially conscious way themselves, with recycled and recyclable packaging, US-made biodegradable shipping tape, and as much recycled content and eco-friendly inks in the rest of packaging and other materials as possible. And with each purchase, a portion of the proceeds is donated to organisations that protect the environment or supports health and human rights programmes for women around the world. When you buy you can choose which organisation you want your purchase to go towards, allowing you to be an active part of the process. You can choose from:
Nature Conservancy of Canada – The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organisation, working to protect the nation’s most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.7 million acres (1.1 million hectares), coast to coast.
Because I am a Girl – The Because I am a Girl (BIAAG) initiative run by Plan Canada is to end gender inequality and promote girls rights. Plan operates a wide range of programs to improve the status of girls and give them equal access to health care, education, protection, independence and an opportunity to participate in society.
WWF Canada – WWF (World Wildlife Fund) is Canada’s largest international conservation organisation with the active support of more than 150,000 Canadians. The mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by:
- Ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable.
- Promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
- Conserving the world’s biological diversity.
There are some companies that are impossible not to love immediately, I think Azura Bay is one of them. Their transparency and commitment to ethics and sustainability is clear, and their products are carefully chosen and beautiful, making it oh so easy to shop sustainable intimates. But, most importantly, they’re helping me rediscover and recommit to stress free sleep. Because the road is long, and it can be hard, and without rest we can burn out so easily. So shout out to Azura Bay for helping me practice self care along the way.
If you too believe in the power of rest and body confidence you’re in luck, because I’ve teamed up with Azura Bay to give away a $50 gift voucher for their online store! Head over to my Instagram page to enter!
(you have until Thursday June 15th)
Until next time, stay magic y’all
Post created in collaboration with Azura Bay
Photos by Gianna Scavo
